NetOne Introduces Reverse Calling for Emergencies

14 January 2026

By Andile Vundla

NetOne has introduced a new Reverse Calling service that allows customers to make calls even when they have no airtime, by giving the receiver the option to pay for the call.

Speaking during the Joint Press Briefing on Stakeholder Empowerment hosted by NetOne yesterday, NetOne Regional Manager Gugulethu Mpofu said the service is designed to make communication easier, especially in emergencies, by ensuring users can still reach family or friends when they are out of airtime.

She explained that the feature goes beyond the usual “please call me” or “call back” messages, but instead, it enables real-time voice communication.

Mpofu added that the product responds to the everyday realities faced by many Zimbabweans, where airtime is often limited but the need to communicate remains critical, particularly in urgent situations.

“This product is designed to address real-life situations where people urgently need to communicate but may not have airtime,” she said. “In a constrained economic environment, staying connected is not a luxury, but it’s a necessity.”

NetOne is the first mobile network in the country to introduce the Reverse Calling service, and early reactions on social media suggest it is being welcomed as a simple but highly practical innovation.

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